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Geography of the
United States
By this time, we
are already familiar with the study of geography. When
we look at the geography of any area (e.g., the U.S.A. or New
York State), we must consider five main Themes, or topics:
Location, Place, Interaction, Movement and
Region.
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The Five Themes of Geography |
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Location |
describes where a place is -- its
position on the Earth's surface. Two ways to describe
location: Relative Location and Absolute Location.
Relative Location: The description of a
place in relation to another.
Absolute Location: The exact location
of a place using lines of
longitude
and
latitude.
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Place |
describes an area in terms of its physical and
human characteristics such as climate, landforms,
waterways, language, religion, social activities,
etc...
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Interaction |
- describes how people change their environment or
adapt to it
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Movement |
- describes the movement of people, goods, and
ideas. This occurs through
migration,
trade,
and
cultural diffusion.
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Region |
- describes an area that has its own
unifying
characteristics. This is done: politically -- the
Middle East is a political region, physically -- the
rainforests of Brazil, and culturally -- Muslim areas
are influenced by the religion of Islam.
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This page and the links at the left are designed to aid students in
reviewing the following topics which will appear on the New
York State U.S. History & Government Regents Examination. In addition, students may test their knowledge of the material presented here by accessing multiple-choice questions from past Regents Exams.
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